


Zutara Month 2020

by Camlann



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara Month 2020
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:49:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29926788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camlann/pseuds/Camlann
Summary: Challenged myself to write everyday for a month to keep up with Zutara Month (May 2020). The prompts and my subsequent blurbs are now compiled here.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 18





	Zutara Month 2020

There is a fire lily bush that lives in a pot on the highest balcony at Air Temple island. It can only be seen on certain days, though there hardly seems to be a pattern or reason to the appearance of the strange red star that keeps watch over them. Despite the weather being a tad too cold for it that high up though, the red and yellow petals never fade and it’s a clear marker against the white stone it sits against. Even in the winter, when things chill down enough that Katara pulls out her lighter furs, it prospers. 

No one mentions it. In fact, most don’t notice it at all. The problem is that some do and they’re the youngest of the Air Acolytes that have too much time on their hands and not enough attention span to really focus on meditation when there is something strange above their heads. 

Aang understands that many of them have not seen these kinds of plants before, so asks the Fire Lord to send a few seeds so that they can be planted around the edges of the island. Surely that will keep his pupil’s attention on their inner thoughts and not on a little flower. That doesn’t work exactly how he imagines, however, as soon the lilies fade away and the one above seems even more a miracle than ever. Frankly, he doesn’t even know why it gets so much focus. Katara has a lot of plants up on that balcony, why is it the fire lily that is drawing so much attention? His frown at dinner seems to go unnoticed as Katara hums something ancient, a song he recognizes but doesn’t know the words to, especially not the language she’s murmuring under her breath. 

“That’s a Fire Nation song.” 

“Huh? Oh! Yes,” Katara laughs softly, her quiet smile peaceful. Aang’s frown deepens. “Zuko taught it to me last time I was there.” 

“Do you know what it’s about?” 

“Yes,” Katara murmurs, softer than before. Her hands cradle the bowls she’s scooping food into, her gaze is far away, and Aang’s shoulders start to slump. “It’s a lullaby. He’s thinking of starting a family again, did you know that?” 

“I haven’t talked to him outside official meetings,” Aang grumbles, slipping down in his seat with a pout on his lips. Katara’s sharp gaze finds him and her whole demeanor changes. She does the same thing with the young benders in their ranks, mothering them and making sure they’re happy, safe, and welcome. He doesn’t need a mother, however, and Aang glances away from her searching eyes. “How did you learn the words?” 

“I just told you Zuko taught me them,” Katara repeats, settling down across from him. Chewing her lip, she looks so thoughtful that Aang feels something sad settle in his stomach. He never has time to teach her those kinds of things about the Air Nomads -- all his time is dedicated to mediating arguments among the nations and training the Air Acolytes. They know all sorts of things, perhaps he can get one of them to teach her? “Did I say something wrong? Sometimes the inflection is hard to get right and he did say that it could mean different things if I dip a word one way versus another. I’ll have to ask him next time I see him.” 

“We aren’t scheduled to go to the Fire Nation for several months,” Aang reasons out, shaking his head. “You should probably send a letter, instead.” 

“Oh. I’m going there next month,” Katara announces, smile lighting up her face. “To help him with Izumi while he’s receiving delegates from the Southern Water tribe. You know how he gets when Sokka and Suki are around, and I haven’t seen any of them in a couple months…” 

Katara continues on as if she hasn’t just rocked his world off kilter. She’s been going to the Fire Nation without him?

Of course she has, she’s told him every time, he just hadn’t realized how regular it had become. She’s been fostering relations between the Fire Nation and every other nation for a while now, bringing her good will with her wherever she went. Well, good will and tendency to stick up for those that need her most, something he knew Zuko appreciated after so long not seeing anyone care about his people. It had become Master Katara this, and Master Katara that -- the woman before him no longer the girl he remembers first bringing to this place. When had they become so different? When did he stop having the time? 

“You know, Izumi is already showing signs of being a powerful firebender? Iroh is teaching her breathing exercises and she’s just starting to get training from real masters instead of just her school instructors. With the anniversary of Mai’s departure coming up and the girl turning six, Suki and I thought it would be great if we could be there for her, especially since Azula is having one of her -- well, she’s still not fully healed yet, but Zuko is trying his hardest to be there for both of them. He just needs a few more hands when delegates come. Sokka is even bringing her some bone daggers as a gift, since Master Piandao has also been working with her. Zuko is hoping Sokka and I could teach her how to use a few techniques that might diversify her current knowledge. I thought I’d bring along some of those scrolls you use for the Acolytes, to learn when she’s ready. And -- Aang. Aang, what’s wrong?”

It’s not a grand moment, it’s not even a particularly special one, when he lets Katara go like the guru has instructed. It’s a Tuesday afternoon, with lunch between them, and he has training with the Air Acolytes later, like he does every second day of the week. In that moment though, seeing Katara at peace, he feels something in him go peaceful as well. She wears orange here, in respect to the Acolytes, but all he can see is the red, floral sash across her chest, the way it is embroidered with flowers from every nation. Now that he can see with open eyes, he spots the fire lily over her chest, right where he knows a lightning scar would be if things were different. It’s a reminder, subtle but there, and he knows she does things like this on purpose. Her mother’s necklace is testament to her incorporating her loved ones into her everyday and he knows that there is an arrow sewn into her armband, that there is the Beifong emblem that jingles along the coins in her pocket. 

What is not so subtle is the gold and ruby fire lily comb in her hair. 

There’s a shift, something aligns all the way down his spine, and he swears he hears a voice in his ear that sounds like Kyoshi congratulating him. It’s a sad feeling that washes over him, but it’s also freeing in a way he didn’t know he could feel. The heel of his foot hurts, brilliant, for half a second and brightens his eyes -- the reason Katara has asked him her question -- but they return to their darker state soon enough, a smile gracing his lips. 

“Nothing, actually,” he murmurs, reaching across the table to take her head. “You know, I think I’d like to come with you, if you don’t mind. Give Izumi those scrolls myself.” 

“I think Zuko would like that,” Katara says after a moment, hesitant if only because of the shift in his shoulders, the change in his tone. When nothing comes from the incident, she relaxes more, smiles openly at him. He missed that open smile, the one reserved just for him -- he hasn’t seen it in awhile, not because it isn’t there but because he’s just been too busy to see it. “I think Izumi would like that. She doesn’t know you very well, I think she’d like to.” 

“I think I’d like that too.” 

The fire lily doesn’t stay on the highest balcony in the years to come, instead moving to the Avatar’s meeting hall. Even though it doesn’t get too much sun there, the color never fades from the brilliant red and yellow. Now it’s up to him to keep it safe, harder than he imagined with all his traveling. Still, if it wilts he can always get a new one. His visits to the Fire Nation often enough, and Izumi and her little sister Kya are always ready with another, Lady Katara and her husband ready to welcome him in with open arms to their home, this time with real flowers in her hair.

**Author's Note:**

> These were mostly posted in May, 2020 over on my Tumblr because I still put up writing, inspiration, and other random stuff over there. I finished the final prompts offline so they are completely new and never seen before!


End file.
